


Possession

by Fenchurch87



Series: The Way of the Warden [15]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-23
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-15 06:03:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15406605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenchurch87/pseuds/Fenchurch87
Summary: A much changed Anders returns to confront the Warden-Commander. Originally written in response to a writing prompt on /r/dragonage.





	Possession

“Commander! Commander!”

The pounding on the door grew louder, and Solona sat up with a groan. She had been woken up in the middle of the night a few times since she had taken charge of the wardens, but she didn't think it would ever get easier. She forced herself to get up, leaving Alistair to sleep on without her. _That man could sleep through anything_ , she thought fondly as she crossed the room to the door, buttoning up her robe as she walked. _This had better be good._

She opened the door to see Anders standing in front of her. He placed a finger to his lips and walked a little way up the corridor. Solona closed the bedroom door and followed him. “What–” she began, but she didn't get any further before Anders turned around and hurled a ball of fire at her. Solona formed a shield just in time, and the flames bounced off the invisible barrier harmlessly.

Anders readied another attack, frost this time, but the shield held strong. Solona stared at him in shock. His eyes were glowing with an eerie blue light, and his mouth had twisted into a snarl. _Something is very wrong here._ Anders continued throwing fire and ice, interspersed with the occasional stone fist, but nothing could break down the shield.

“I can keep this up all night, Anders,” Solona called. “Strongest shield in the tower, remember?” He was beginning to tire, she could tell. His attacks were weakening and getting further and further apart. It wouldn't be long before his strength gave out completely. “How about you stop hurling the elements at me and tell me what all this is about?”

Anders tried one last frost attack, and then sank to the ground panting. “I came here to kill you, not to talk,” he growled. Solona shivered when she heard his voice. It sounded distorted, as though it were coming from somewhere far away. Somewhere not of this world. “You can answer me one thing though. You've had so many chances to sell me out to the Templars. Why did you wait until now?”

“Sell you out to the Templars? What are you talking about?”

“Don't pretend you don't know. You made a deal with them, didn't you? That's why Rolan joined the Wardens, why I always had to go on assignments with him.”

“I had no choice.” Solona kept her shield up while they talked. Anders didn't look like he was going to attack her anytime soon, but she didn't want to be caught unawares. “The Templars were there every time you left the Keep, hoping we would slip up so they could capture you again. It was getting ridiculous. So I met with them and asked what it would take for them to leave us alone. They said they just wanted to keep an eye on you, make sure you weren't dangerous. They said they wouldn't bother us again if I let a Templar join the Wardens. It seemed a small price to pay, so I agreed.”

“A small price to pay? My life was a small price to pay?” Anders sent a huge fireball towards her, and Solona hurriedly channelled more magic into her shield. “You wanted the Templars to go away, so you agreed that they could kill me?”

“I agreed no such thing!” Solona was beginning to get angry herself. Had she really dragged herself out of bed so that a man she had once considered a friend could hurl fire and false accusations at her? “They promised they wouldn't harm you. I would never have made a deal with them if they hadn't.”

Anders's strange glowing eyes met hers, and suddenly the blue light was gone. “You really didn't know,” he said in his normal voice. “He said you'd agreed to it. Maker's breath – Commander, I'm sorry!”

“Who?” Anders seemed to have calmed down, so Solona released her shield. “Who said I'd agreed to it? Agreed to what?”

“Rolan,” Anders practically spat out the name. “He attacked me with a bunch of other Templars, and all the Wardens with us joined in.”

“All the Wardens? How did you get out of there?”

Anders lowered his eyes and took a long time to answer. When he finally did, his voice was barely above a whisper. “Justice.”

“You and Justice defeated that many Templars and Wardens by yourselves?”

“Yes. No. Justice defeated the Templars and Wardens. I defeated the Templars and Wardens. I am Justice. Justice is me.”

“You fool!” Solona could hardly believe what she was hearing. “You let Justice possess you? I know Justice isn't a demon, but Rolan would never have seen the difference! Of course he called in the Templars! And of course the other Wardens joined in – to them it must have looked like you'd become an abomination!” She made herself take a deep, calming breath. “Just tell me why, Anders,” she said softly.

“He needed a living host. He couldn't stay in Kristoff's rotting corpse for much longer, you know that. He was my friend – I wanted to help. And he said he could help me. Together we could bring justice to all the mages in Thedas.”

“Maker preserve us.” Solona had a feeling Anders's life had changed irrevocably. And not for the better. “You can't remain in the Wardens,” she said, her voice tinged with regret.

“I know.” There was sadness in Anders's voice too. “I'll leave tonight. I thought I might try travelling to Kirkwall again. Maybe I'll make it this time. I've heard terrible things about Kirkwall's Circle, it might be a good place to start. And Karl is still there, obviously.” He trailed off suddenly, distracted by a movement further down the corridor.

“Hey Ser Pounce-a-lot, did you miss me?” Anders crouched on the ground, and the cat bounded up to him and nuzzled his fingers affectionately. “Yes, I'm back. Not for long though, I'm afraid.” He looked up at Solona. “Will you look after him for me? Forever this time? I don't know where I'm going to end up. Travelling to Kirkwall will mean a ship, and that's no place for a cat.”

 _And yet the Deep Roads are?_ Solona thought, but she knew better than to say it out loud. “Of course I will,” she said. “I'm sorry it turned out like this. You were a good Warden, Anders, and you're a good man. Take care – and good luck.”

“I'm sorry too. Thank you, Commander – for everything.”

“I'm not your Commander anymore. Just go back to calling me Solona.” She watched Anders walk away down the corridor. He looked back just before he turned the corner, and gave her a small smile and a wave. She raised her hand in return, and then he was gone.

Solona wondered if she would ever see him again. “Take care, Anders,” she repeated softly to herself. “And good luck.”

 


End file.
